


Lab Rat

by pizzz_10



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Character Death, Experimentation, Humiliation, Hurt/Comfort, Isolation, M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Physical Abuse, Psychological Torture, powers, shock therapy, smut at the end
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-02-03 23:03:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12757959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pizzz_10/pseuds/pizzz_10
Summary: Neil sells Billy to Hawkins lab, while Billy is going through hell in that place he thinks no one will care that’s he gone, but surprisingly he’s wrong.One person actually did care enough to investigate and that was Steve Harrington.Credit for this idea goes to flippyspoon. Let me know if you want me to continue





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter will probably be up in a few hours. Enjoy

Neil studied his son from the living room while the boy was giving max her dinner.

Studying his body, height and movements. He didn't really consider the boy as a son, to him he was a disappointment, never been useful for anything.

Until tonight. 

Neil reaches into his pocket and touch a small glass vial he had. 

"I gave max dinner da-Sir." Billy suddenly says to him interrupting his thoughts. The man nodded and asked "what did you make?"

"Hot dogs."

Neil wrinkled his nose at that. "Can't cook a good meal for nothing." He mumbles. Neil  
Sees Billy look away and head for the door. "Where are you going?" 

"For a drive." 

Neil thought for a moment and got up from his chair. "Wait why don't we go together?" He offered. Billy looked surprised. The man never offered something like that before. "Why?"

"Because I wanna talk, you’re not in trouble or anything." But Billy still seemed cautious of this. "But what about max?"

"She can watch herself for an hour, Susan is on her way home anyway." Before Billy could ask another question Neil heads to the door and grabs Billy's keys off the key hook.

"Come on." Billy nodded and followed him out the door. 

Outside Neil hands Billy's his keys and they both get in. "Why don't we grab some food, there's a diner not to far." 

Billy nods and starts following the directions his father gave him. Soon they were at this diner and they get out.

Once inside they sit at the counter and pick up their menus. "Billy I know I haven't been the father you may have wanted but I'm hard on you because I think you can do better with yourself."

Billy stops looking at the menu for a moment to look at his step father. "Max needs someone to look up to and I think it could be you." Billy has never heard him say something like that before. Usually Neil calls him useless, a failure and other hurtful things. "In fact I was able to find something that might be able to help you."

"Um....what's that?"

"A program. A program to help you with some skills." Billy looked scared for a moment. "You're sending me to military school?" Neil shook his head. "No, it's a regular program for anyone." The waitress came over with her notepad.

"Ready to order?" 

"Yes, We'll take two cheeseburgers and coke please."

"Fries?"

After he nods  the women goes to the back to tell the cook their order. "Billy you care about max right?" Billy didn't really know how to answer that. Max probably hates him, all though he doesn't really hate her. He still trying to figure out how he really felt about her.

But he still said "yeah."

"Well if you care about her then you would want to change. She would probably like you better. I see that you two don't get along."

"She just doesn't see me as a brother."  

"Well maybe she can one day." 

In 20 minuets the waitress came with their meals. After she sits them down. Neil turns to Billy and says "hey I think I left my wallet in the car could you get it for me?" Billy nods and gets up from his seat. 

Once he's out the restaurant Neil grabs Billy's drink and takes the cover off. He takes out the vial. After un caping it, he pours the liquid from the vial into the drink." 

Neil puts Billy's drink back in place and just in time too. The boy was back inside. "It wasn't in there." 

"Oh I found it in my back pocket. Sorry."  Billy sits down and picks up his drink, taking some sips from the straw. Billy made a face after tasting it.

"Something wrong?" His father asked. "Just taste a little funny." Billy takes one more sips before going to eat his burger.

Neil started eating also. He looked at Billy and smirked to himself. This poor stupid boy.

~~~

After eating Neil paid for the food and they started heading out. 

On their way to the car Billy starting stumbling and almost tripping. "You okay son?"

"I feel....dizzy." Billy tried walking more but his body felt so weak, like he was going to collapse. But Neil caught him before he could. "Maybe I should drive." He took the boy's keys out of his pocket 

"W-Wait." But Neil doesn't listen, he drags Billy to the backseat. "You need lay down." He gets Billy in and goes into the drivers seat.

This feeling he feels so familiar to Billy like he's exprince it  Before. It takes a minute before he remembers. "W-What did y-you do?"

Neil doesn't answer he just starts driving the car. Billy was down right terrified. His sister has drugged him but she wasn't planning anything dangerous when she did, she just left him.

But Neil was planning to do something to him and he didn't know what it was. It scared him so much. 

"P-please I want to g-go home, W-won't Tell." He really means it to, he just wants this to stop and have Neil take him back. "Never thought I hear you beg, but you were always weak." 

"W-Why?"

"Because Billy you're really no use to me, but there are some people that you can be useful to."

In two hours the car parked, they were near a big building with tons of satellites on the roof. A group of man and women in white coats were standing near the entrance of the building and they had a stretcher.

They walk over to the car and Neil gets out. "Mr.Hargrove you came, I was starting to think you had seconds thoughts." A man with gray hair says.

"No, I liked your offer enough to get him, you're going have to inject him with some sedatives, I give him some already but I'm not sure how long it'll last." 

"W-what's going on!" They ignored him and kept talking. "He's heathy right? no Illnesses or disabilities." 

"He's pretty healthy, he does smoke but that hasn't really affected him. Now are you going to hold up your part of the deal?" The man nodded and motioned a women to come. 

The women hands him a yellow envelope and then he gives it to Neil. Neil opens it and grins when he sees a ton of cash. "It's all there, $410,000."

Wait, was Neil selling him? He was actually giving him up for money. Billy was actually close to tears. Neil was cruel but he didn't think he go this far. 

"I trust you won't tell no one about this exchange?"

"No. I'll just tell people he ran away and hide his car." 

"Good, pleasure doing business with you. Get him on the stretcher." He says the last part to his team. Two men go over and open the car door. They pick him up easily and get him on the cushioned stretcher.

Neil gets back in the car, starting it up. "No...no!" Billy shouts. But the man drove off. The gray hair man goes over to him and takes out a syringe. He puts the needle in Billy's arm and presses the plunger. "No, g-get away, let me go!" 

"Shh, calm down, you don't have to be afraid. Think of us trying to help you, my name is sam Owens."

"How are you going to h-help?”

"We're here to turn you into something better, give you things that could help humanity. You could be important to the state after we're done." 

"I-I want to go home, I don't want this, please." Tears were coming down Billy's cheeks. "It won't so bad as long as you cooperate." Billy let's out a sob as he starts to feel drowsy again. 

"Get him inside." The men nodded and starting pushing Billy towards the entrance. 

Billy couldn't believe this was happing, he's never felt so much emotional pain until now.

 

Inside the building they get Billy into a patient gown and put him on a bed in a small room with white walls. 

They put him on the bed and leave him, shutting and locking the door. On the way inside doctor Owens injected him again. 

At first he couldn't tell what it was but he figured it once he starting feeling warm, he was starting to sweat and the light seemed brighter and more intense. 

He was on LSD. 

Now Billy has done LSD once and after the first experience, he didn't really want to do it again, he stuck to cigarettes and pot.  

He lays there and wonders how long he’ll be here and what these people will do to him. 

He lays there and continues to see hallucinations as his body gets warmer. He now starts to wonder about Steve Harrington. He wonders if he’ll ever get to see the boy again back at school, wonders how's he’s doing and if he's having a shitty life like him.

Probably not.

Since he's been in this town he's had a fascination with him, he couldn't keep himself away from the prep. 

Lastly he wonders if anyone will know or care that he will be missing.

~~

The next day Billy was woken up from a knock on the door.

"Breakfast." Someone says on the other side. A slot opens on the door and a tray of food slides in. Billy lifts his head and slowly sits up. He gets off the bed and goes to the door, he still a little off, so he makes sure he doesn't trip. 

At the door he looks at the tray and sees toast, eggs and a cup of juice. 

"Eat Billy you'll be needing some Energy." Billy looks up and sees a intercom on the wall and near it was a camera. Billy glares and snarls. He grabs the tray and throws it against the wall, making a mess.

"FUCK YOU, LET ME OUT!" He doesn't get a respond witch makes Billy even angrier. "This is illegal you assholes!"  After a few seconds he gets a respond. "We can't have you wasting food, someone will come and give you another but you must eat it.”

Billy couldn't believe this shit. They take him against his will and all they have to say is don't waste food. Billy was close to punching the wall. 

Billy sits on the bed and thinks maybe when they let him out of this room, he can knock out one of the guards, but that might not work since he doesn't remember the way to the entrance, he could get caught.

Soon another tray is delivered and the intercom goes off again. "Eat or you will not like the consequences."  What the hell could be worse then being locked in here? Standing up he goes to the door and takes his food. 

He sits on the bed and takes a bite of toast. It was so dry, no butter or anything on it. He tries the eggs but they were just bland and cold. 

"As soon as your done eating we will come and take you out to begin the day." The voice said.

 

After he is done the door opens. Two men go inside and get near him.

But before they could grab him, Billy kicks one of them in the leg. "Get away from me!" He puts up a good fight but they were still able to get a tight grip on him and drag him out the room. 

They take him to a room with a table and chairs. They forcefully sit him down and hold his arm down for one to take a syringe out of their pocket and inject it into his arm. They quickly leave before the boy could attack them and they lock the door. 

Billy banged on the door and yelled obscenities for 6 minuets. But it was no use, so he sat in a chair and waited

After an hour Something started to happened, his body, he started feeling the same way he did last night. 

They drugged him again. 

After 20 minuets a person came into the room he was a doctor that looked middle age and had a beard and brown hair. "Billy, my name is Dr.Anderson. I was sent here to do an exercise with you."

"What...." Billy says drowsily 

Just then a women came into the room with some type of machine. She puts it on the table and hooks it up. Then the women starts placing something on his head.  After that the women left. 

"W-what's....going on?" The doctor took out some flash cards from his pocket. "Like I said just a small exercise I’m going to show you some pictures and I want you to tell me what they are. If you get one wrong you'll feel a stimulation through your brain. The things on your head on are electrodes, so they'll make you feel it, ready?"

The doctor gets a sluggish nod from the boy and he shows the first card. It was a picture of a circle. Billy looked at it the best way he could before answering.

"A...A..circle." 

"Good." He shows the next one witch was a triangle. It took Billy a few minutes to answer. "Triangle."

"All right lets see if you can get this one." He shows him the flash card and it's a picture of a clover. Billy tried to tell what it was but the drugs made his vision so blurry. "I....I think...Star." The man shook his head and turn a dial on the Machine.

Billy feels a painful jolt go through his body. "What the shit!" But the doctor pays no mind to his freak out and shuffles the cards like nothing happened. 

"Let's try a different one." He shows Billy a new card, it shows a tree. "Um, I....can't.." 

"Answer Billy."

"Um....a line.” The doctor shakes his head and turns the dial. "No pleas-fuck!" 

"Again." The man takes a different card and shows him. "T-That's a....a letter."

"What letter?"

"C"

"No." Billy nearly jumps out of his chair when gets this shock and it felt stronger then the last. 

The thing is he did get it right, but the doctor only give him that shock to stimulate his brain more. 

"Let's try again, shall we?”

~~~

After almost two hours Billy was sent back to his room.

He was still being affected by the drugs. Billy was in a corner, his legs to his chest. Between the shocks and the drugs he saw hallucinations that were making him paranoid

The walls were moving, the floor was spinning and the ceiling looked like it was about to fall. His brain was going through too much, that it actually started to hurt. 

Bed. He needs the bed. 

Billy starts crawling on the floor, trying to get to the bed. 

When he gets there, he slowly crawls on it and covers himself with the sheets. He shivers and closes his eyes.

Billy figures he needs all the rest he's going to get, especially if these people are going to be treating him like this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave some feedback if you can

Next morning Billy was woken up again by a knock at the door. "Breakfast." 

Billy sighs and gets up. He wonders what's going to happen too today, hopefully something not too painful like yesterday.

When he gets to his door, he sees that his tray has only a little bit of food, not a normal amount like yesterday. Just then the intercom goes off.

"You have five minutes to eat before we take you out the room." Billy faced the intercom and asked. "Why am I only getting a little-"

"The more you talk the more time you waste, now eat." Billy scowls and shows his middle finger to the camera.

Sitting down, he begins eating. 

He eats at quick paste, because he knows if those men come in before he can finish he might go hungry for the day. 

After about four minutes his door opens. The two men from yesterday grab him quickly. “Wait I didn’t get to-ow you’re squeezing to tight asshole!” They start dragging him out the room not listening to any of the curses Billy is spiting at them. 

They take him into a room and sit him at a table. One reaches into his pocket and begins to take something out of it, but Billy knows what it is, one of those fucking syringes. Billy gives a forceful kick to the guy’s crotch, making him yell and drop it. 

It lands near his feet and he stomps on it, making it shatter. “You are not putting anymore of that shit in me!”

Billy got up ready to fight them but the door opens. It was Dr.Owens with a mug of coffee. “Is there a problem in here?”

“He broke the syringe sir, should we get another one and the straight jacket?” Billy looked startled by that last suggestion. But Owens shook his head. “that won’t be necessary, I handle it from here.” 

The men nod and walk out the room. “Billy take a seat please.”

“Screw You, take me-“

“Sit or I will make them get the straight jacket.” At that Billy closed his mouth and sat in the chair. Owens sat across from him. “Billy the more you corporate the less hard this will be. You’ve only been here for almost two days and already you attack my employees.”

“That’s because they keep pushing drugs into me you prick.” 

“We need you take those, it’s important. Now today we’re going to have you watch a documentary and listen to some tapes. 

Billy seemed a little confused and cautious at that. “that’s it. You’re not going to shock me or anything like that? In fact what was that about anyway?”

“We were de-patterning, getting rid of some negative patterns from your mind, it works affectively with the drugs. I went to your room and noticed you haven’t finished eating.”

“Yeah that’s because I had 4 minuets to eat, also why did I only get a small amount?”

“Sorry, we were in a rushed.”

“Well before I watch this movie or whatever, can I get another tray?” 

“If I do will you cooperate for the day?” Billy nodded, but he seemed hesitant about it. “Am I going to go on LSD again?” Owens shakes his head. “No you won’t.” He says while taking a sip of his coffee.

 

Like Owens said, Billy was given another tray, but it was just a dry Beagle and coffee, but better then nothing. 

Soon Owens is back in the room with two men who were bringing in a T.V. and video tapes. “I thought you said I was watching one documentary.”

“Sorry meant to say more then one, are you done eating?” Billy nods as he finishes the rest of his coffee. “So today just movies and tapes, no drugs and shocks?” 

“No shocks, but you will still have the drugs.” Billy looked almost betrayed. “But you said-“

“I said no LSD, today we won’t be using LSD.” Billy glared at him and got in defense mode. “You fucking come near me with a needle and I’ll break your arm.” He growls.

“I didn’t use a needle”

“What?”

“It’s already inside you.” Billy started to panic and tried to figure out how he put it in the food. “It was in your coffee.” Billy looked at the mug in shock. He should of know. The boy felt so enraged. “You fucking asshole!” Billy takes the mug and throws it. Owns ducks and the mug hits the wall, shattering.

Owens sighs and reaches into his pocket. “Billy this isn’t cooperating.”

“FUCK YOU!” 

Owens just turns to his employees. “Hold him down.” They nod and go over to Billy quickly before he can get up. Billy kicks and shouts as they hold him down. Owens takes out two pairs of handcuffs from his jacket.

He goes over to the angry boy and handcuffs both of his wrist to the chair arms. “Try not to move your arms too much since the cuffs are tight.” He says casually. “Also you’ll start to feel different in about 20 minuets.

Owens turns to T.V. and turns it on, then the VCR. “The first movie is two hours, you’ll be watching four of these.”

After Putting the movie in and starting it, he heads for the door. 

“Wait what’s in me if it’s not LSD?”

“mescaline.” With that he shuts off the lights and closes the door.

~~~

Just like Owens said the drug started taking affect after 20 minuet. 

The drug had Billy in a trance like state while watching the television. The first documentary were on the human mind and the next one was on telepathy and the last ones were on dimensions.

He sat still and absorbed all the information, getting it stuck in his head. He was relaxed, a little wide eye and drooling a little bit.

In a few hours Owens comes back into the room and turns on the lights. He shuts off the T.V. and goes over to him. 

“How are you doing billy?”

But the boy doesn’t answer, he was too out of it to do so. Owens uncuffs him and he stands him up. He takes out a syringe and injects him with temazepam and the boy doesn’t fight him while he’s doing it.

“Come let’s get you to the next room.” They go out the room and walk down the hallway. Owens had to keep Billy from tripping. 

The next room, had a mattress and intercoms all in the corners. He takes Billy to the mattress lays him down. 

Owens leaves and let’s Billy be by himself. Billy stares at the celling, he was now starting to feel drowsy.

In a few minutes. The intercoms go off and a recording starts to play. 

‘’You will be a weapon, you will get rid of anyone who is a threat, you will control them, nothing is more important then getting rid off the threat.’’

 

That kept on repeating for hours, Billy fell asleep with it, playing it in his head. 

Outside the room Owens was with one of his assistants. “In the next two weeks set up the tank.”

“You think he’ll be ready by then?”

“Yes, But I’ll start with a simple sensory deprivation first, then we’ll expose him to more electroshock therapy and some isolation, also  
We need to make sure he listens to that tape everyday.” 

The assistant nodded and started writing this stuff down in his notebook. “Anything else?” 

“Yes also fewer meals and make sure the shocks are higher and number him.”

“What number?”

“14.”

Owens was set on making this boy his tool and he’s going to make sure this one stays. He believes that he could be better then the rest of them. 

~~~

“This is the fourth day in a row, where is he?” Steve says to himself as he looks at the empty chair in the class.

Billy hasn’t been at school for almost a week. Steve’s not sure why he was concerned about this and why he found it strange.

His sister said he also hasn’t been at home either, she had to depend on skateboarding home or asking one of her friend’s parents to drop her off there. 

The bell rings interrupting his thoughts, gathering up his books he leaves the classroom. It was the end of the day and he was ready to go home to relax.

Outside he heads to his car but stops when he hears someone calling him. “Steve, Steve!” It was max, skateboarding towards him. 

“Yeah max?”

She stops and gets off her skateboard. “Could you drive me home?”

“Billy didn’t show up?” She shakes her head. “I don’t understand, he’s not at school or at home then where is he?” Max only shrugs. Steve sighs and opens the door for her.

After they both get in Steve starts driving. “Have your parents started doing anything about this?”

“Um, no. They think he just went somewhere and will probably be back soon.”

“Maybe you should convince them to start looking for him.”

“I’m sure he’ll turn up on Friday, maybe he wanted time to himself, he needs it honestly.” 

When they get to Max’s house, they walk up to the door and knock. The door opens and What he assumes is her father is standing there 

“Max who’s this?” He ask looking at Steve suspiciously.

“Um, this is Steve, he’s my one of my friend’s brothers.” She lies. 

“Why is he here?”

“I asked him to drive me here.” He grunts but nods. “Um, Mr.Hargrove, Max has told me that Billy hasn’t been here the last couple of days. Have you maybe considered about filing a missing persons report?”

But he only rolls his eyes. “That boy will be back, pretty sure he can’t last out there too long. Why are you concerned?”

“Oh well I’m a friend of his.” He has no idea why he said that. “Well if he turns up I’ll let you know all right? thanks for bringing her home.”

Steve nods and max goes inside her house. Once the door shuts Steve goes back to his car. 

He wonders where Billy is and if he will come back okay. Even though Billy is an asshole, he doesn’t really wish bad on him. 

Maybe max and her father are right, maybe he shouldn’t be worried. Maybe everything is fine and Billy will be back in a few days. 

But something in his gut is telling him that something else is going on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did some more research on Mkultra and read they used humiliation and some physical torture. So humiliation and physical torture in this chapter

It's been almost 5 weeks and still no Billy, Steve was finding this very strange and no one seemed worried either.

Right now he's in the parking lot waiting for Max, she asked him if he could drop her off at home again. 

She was a little late, but she came eventually. He saw her coming and she was with somebody, it was Dustin. "Do you need me to drop you off at your house too?" He asked the boy.  "No, me and max got assigned to a project together, we agreed to go to her house."

He nodded and told them to start getting in. "Hey max has your parents done anything about Billy yet?" He ask once he's in.

"Well my mom did fill out a police report but that's about it, my dad....I don't think he cares." 

Steve wasn't too surprised by that, her father didn't seem to care when he talked about Billy the first time with him. "Maybe he left Hawkins." Dustin chimes in

But Max shakes her head at that. "He has no where to go outside of Hawkins." 

"You know I thought you be happier if he was gone.”

"Dustin, he's an asshole, but I didn't want him to go missing, I just wanted him to leave us alone." 

"She's right, he didn't need to go missing." Steve starts the car and drives.

 

When they get to the house, they knock and just like last time it was her father answering the door. "Okay who's this now?" He asked looking at Dustin. "Dustin, we have to work on a project together." He nods, moving aside he let's them in. 

"Um Mr. Hargrove it's been four weeks, did anything about Billy turn up?" Neil sighs and says "Son why don't you come inside so I can tell you?"  Steve nods and follows the man in the house. They go inside the living room and Neil offers him to sit on the sofa. "Max could you come here please?" He calls out.

When she comes, Neil sits down in a chair. "The thing with Billy is that he's....not coming back." 

Billy and max both looked confused at that, like they didn't really believe it. "Are you sure?" Steve ask. "Yes, after searching for a while, we called some relatives and he is with one of them.”

"Witch relative Dad?"

"Aunt Lilly, he's with her and he doesn't seem set on coming back. Your aunt won't make him if he doesn't want to."

"Wait...But aunt Lilly is in Tennessee, he went all the way to Tennessee?"

"Max when your brother wants to drive somewhere to get away, he does it. Even if it is far.”

"Did you talk to him?" Steve says, but Neil shakes his head. "He wouldn't, boy is too stubborn to listen to reason. So we're going to have to tell the police we found him." 

"Dad you should try calling again and tell him-"

"Max as long as he's okay that's all that matters, I'm not going to make the boy come back, in time he'll come back on his own. Steve now that I told you, I hope you won't be too worried."

Steve got up from his seat and nodded. "Thank you for letting me know sir. I'll be on my way now." Before Steve could go, Max called out to him. 

"Wait steve, I left my text book in your car, can I get it?" Steve turned back around and nodded. "Yeah, sure." She rushes to the door and goes out before him.

When he's outside and close to the car, Max starts talking in a hushed tone. "I don't believe him, do you?"

Steve shook his head. Billy might have problems living in Hawkins but it doesn't seem like he would travel that far to get out of it. "I'm going to go hopper and see if he can do anything, come to me if you find anything that proves that he's lying, Okay?"

She nods and quickly goes back into the house. Steve gets in the car and starts it up. something happened to Billy and that man is not telling him everything. 

It confuses Steve that Billy's own father wouldn’t try harder to get his son back.

~~~

Billy was looking in the mirror on his wall staring at some bruises on his chest, it was from a yard stick they used on him for three days straight last week.

These people were not only giving psychological torture but also more physical torture. And now every time they did shock therapy to him they turn up the voltage and it would have Billy screaming at the top of his lungs. 

They also starting putting him under sensory deprivation. They tried the tank but he almost drowned, so they would have to wait a little longer.

He hasn't been getting any sleep either do to the drugs and very loud tapes they play in his room at night.

After looking he puts back on his gown and gets in his bed, he's so tired. He just wants to go to sleep, but he's too high strung to do so. Just then the door opens. 

It was doctor Owens. "Hello Billy." Billy jumps up and immediately starts backing up. "I-I can't, p-please!"

But Owens doesn't listen, he goes over to the frightened boy and quickly injects him in the arm. "Were trying something a little different today." He pulls the boy up and starts getting him out the room. 

He gets him into a room and sits down in a chair. By the chair is a machine that Billy has comes to recognize. His eyes go wide and he starts to go hysterical. "No, no! Please god please, no more, No more!" 

He screams and pleads as his eyes start to get watery. Owens straps him down, then puts electrodes on his head and arms. 

"I have a good feeling about today Billy, if I get what I'm hoping for, you'd be reward greatly for today.” He turns to the machine and turns it on. The first shock makes Billy scream and sob. He was shaking and pleading even more.

"Promise you this will all be worth it in the end. Now ever twenty minutes the machine will give off a shock, instead of one hour will try to go for three."

Billy looked absolutely petrified. Three fucking hours of this? He might die from it, all though death would be merciful right now. Billy just couldn't live with this. Getting up everyday and going through stuff like this. It made him want death.

Owens goes out the room and leaves him there in the room with the dreadful device. 

 

After 49 minuets, Owens was going to check on the boy, he was with one of colleagues and they were walking towards the room. 

"So did anything new happened with him?" 

"No, not yet." 

"I can try the yard stick again." The man smirks, he was the one that did that to Billy to attempt to trigger the reaction they wanted. Owens looks at him with disapproval.

"No that won't be necessary Anderson." Anderson, grabs his shoulder and stops him from going into the room. "We're close but we can't wait any longer, let me do this." Owens seems hesitant about this. Anderson's methods were a little more harsher then his own. 

But he's right, they can't wait any longer. He nods and opens the door for the man to let him in. 

When he goes in, he sees the boy cower in fear. "It's good to see you again Billy. How's your day?” He ask casually like there’s nothing wrong. Billy maybe be scared but he still gave his best glare. "F-Fuck you." 

"It be wise not to be so rude to me." Anderson goes over to him and takes off the electrodes, then turns off the machine, he finally unties Billy from the chair.

Billy was a little confused by this, he knows it hasn't been three hours. "Get on the floor, hands and knees."

"W-What?"

"Floor now or you’re going back into the chair." Billy slowly gets to the floor just like he said. The man steps closer to him and takes off his belt and folds it.

"How are the drugs treating you?" Billy was too nervous to answer. "I said how are the drugs treating you?" He ask more firmly. "N-Not good, f-feel nauseous."

"You think a teenager like yourself would actually like taking drugs."

"T-Too much, it's too m-much." Just then Billy feels something hit his bare leg. It leaves a nasty sting, making him yelp. "God I don't understand why we picked you when you can't even handle some injections."

"But it's everyday-" he gets another hit, harder making him whimper from the pain. "You are a pathetic little shit aren't you? Can't be useful for nothing huh?"

Before Billy can replay, the man raises the gown and hits his back. Billy cries out and gives a sob. "You are nothing, you are nothing but a tool, an object for our use and right now we can't us you for anything because you are worthless." 

The man gives more painful hits and continues with his harsh words. As Billy continues to get the abuse, the man’s words get drowned out. Memories of his father beating him and yelling at him were coming back to him.

Memories of his father coming home drunk and taking his anger out on him, memories of Neil mocking him and saying so many hurtful things to him. 

He remembers all the times when Neil would cause him pain mentally or physically. He do it drunk or sober. 

His life has been almost nothing but pain.

Pain from someone who was supposed to care about him. 

Just as he's about to get another hit, the man's hand stops. "What the hell?" His hand started getting warm. Very warm. Then something starts happing to the machine.

It started to spark, then smoke. Anderson looks at the machine in confusion, he turned it off. 

Then he started to pay back attention to his hand. It was starting to get hot, scolding hot. "Fuck! What fuck!" 

He drops the belt, and kneels down as his hand gets even more painfully hot to the point where the skin starts turning red. 

Then the machine catches fire and it spreads quickly. Anderson tried to get up but his legs also start heating up, so he yells out for help.

Soon smoke from the machine fire goes up to the ceiling and sets off the sprinklers. 

Anderson keeps yelling out for help as he feels more pain. Soon Owens is rushing into the room, getting wet from the water of the sprinklers.

"What's going on?"

"I can't fucking move, my body it's over heating!" 

"What?"  Owens then looks over to the machine and sees its smoking from a fire. But it starts to catch fire again. "What in the...." His eyes trail to Billy on the floor. 

His eyes widen in realization. "Billy, Billy calm down for me."

"H-He w-was-it hurt, it hurt so much." He whispers while tears come down his cheeks. The boy was angry and hurt. "Billy I promise you, you can go back into your room if you calm down. You can sleep for the rest of the day and we will leave you alone."

"R-Really?" 

"Yes, that's what you want right? Just calm down and you'll get it." Billy takes a shaky breath and starts to calm himself down.  

Soon in a few minutes the fire on the machine starts to slow down. Owens rushes to his colleagu. "Is anything changing?"

"My hand and legs.....are still hot, but it's not getting hotter anymore." Owens looks at his hand and sees the skin peeling with blisters. "We'll Get you medical treatment.” He helps stand him up.

"I'll be right back Billy, just stay calm while I'm gone."  With that Owens goes out the room.

Billy is left laying on the floor, getting soaked. As he's waiting he feels something drip from his nose. He reaches his hand to it and wipes it.

He looks at his fingers and sees that it's blood.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Steve and Max were in hopper's office, telling him about Billy, told how Neil didn't really care that his own son is missing. 

"so you really think he's lying?" He ask after they explain everything to him and both of them nod. "And when I tried to call my aunt, he didn't let me. He said she didn't need to be bothered."

"Do you also think he has something to do with it?" 

Again she nodded. "Neil and Billy.....well he would hurt Billy a lot."  Hopper looked a little surprised, he didn't think Billy would have that kind of problem. "Well my team already stop looking since your parents told they found him but I'll personally keep looking Okay?"

She nods and thanks him, grabbing her skateboard she leaves the room. Hopper looks at Steve with a raised brow. "I'm surprise you want to help find him.”

"Trust me I am too, But if his father might of done something to him that no ones deserves."

~~~~

Billy was in his room, listening to that same tape played for him, this time on a cassette player with headphones.

'"You will be a weapon, you will get rid of anyone who is a threat, you will control them, nothing is more important then getting rid of the threat.''

That's what he's been listening to for weeks, getting it suck in his head so he would never forget. His door opens and as it expected it's Owens. but he had some people with him, different doctors and some people in suits. 

Billy takes off the headphones and stares at them, wondering what they want. "I thought you said the subjects tend to be younger?" One women ask.

"Well usually yes, but 14 was almost a better choice since he's older. He was able to develop what we wanted in a good amount of time." Billy felt a little offended that these people where talking about him like he wasn't in the room.

He was even more offended that now he's being referred to as a number. Billy looks at his arm and grimace at the tattoo number he got. He's nothing but a number now. 

The people go further into his room, Owens goes closer to him and reaches into his pocket. Billy is scared that's it's another syringe, but's it not. It's a rubber ball.

"Go to your table." Billy nods and sits at his table where there are some more tapes piled up. Owens moves those and puts the ball on the table.

"Do it, do what you did yesterday." 

But Billy is hesitant about it, so Owens decideds to make him an offer. "Do this and you can have another day of rest." Billy would certainly do anything for rest now, he was desperate. 

Billy looks at the ball and starts contracting, but nothing happens no heat or even some smoke. All these people start looking at Owens like's the biggest fraud ever. 

"Wait he can do it, just give him a minute." But still nothing happens. Everyone looked like they were about to leave but one person steps up. "He did do it yesterday, look what he did to my damn hand." It was Anderson and he had his hand wrapped up. 

"He also damaged my leg." He looked mad talking about his injuries. He goes over to Billy and glares at him. "Do What you did yesterday now."

"I can't, I don't even know how-Ow!" He was hit on the back of the head, hard. "Anderson!" Owens yells. 

"I'll be damned if I got my body burned for nothing, so do it you little shit." Billy glares at him with so much anger. He wanted nothing more to cause this man pain. 

He starts getting angrier, people start to notice that the ball on the table starts heating up, pretty soon it starts to melt, the melted liquid almost drips off the table. 

Everyone actually looks impressed. "How can we us this against the Russians?" One man ask. 

"We simply just tell them to tell us what we want to know or that happens to them.” he says while pointing to the still melting ball."

"can he do that to metal?"

"Probably, He was able to destroy a device we had yesterday and burned Anderson's hand, we can discuss how to utilize this more in my office." He starts walking to the door but stops and goes back to Billy.

"A little reward is coming for your good behavior." With that he leaves the room. Billy wipes some of the blood dripping from his nose and goes to his bed, he lays there thinking how these people are going to us him for their personal gain

He knows he won't have a say it in and makes him almost sick that he was basically sold to be a weapon. He wish he can just go back to California or anywhere far so he can get away from this place, live his own life with no one controlling him. 

Pretty soon the slot to his door slide opens and he sighs. His bland lunch was here. He gets up and goes over to his door and expects something like watery mash potatoes with a half burned steak. But it wasn't any of that. It was actually a good looking sandwich with potatoes chips and a cup of soda. 

This must be the reward Owens was talking about. Decent food. He stares at it trying to figure out if was some kind of ploy or something. He picks up the tray and goes to his bed. He would eat at his little table but it was covered in melted rubber. 

He opens the sandwich and starts looking inside of it, checking between pieces of lettuce, tomato and meat. 

After he checks the sandwich, he opens the chips and pours all of it out. He knows it's already packaged food item, but he can never be too safe now. Finally he looks in his cup. It was all clear, No drugs.

He gives a sigh of relief. He fixes the sandwich back and was ready to eat, but before he could, his door opens again. He was expecting Owens but it wasn't it was Anderson. "You know you caused my hand to have second degree burns."

"Well next time don't piss me off." The man chuckles and before Billy could do anything, he was pushed forcefully off the bed, his food falling with him and getting ruined.

He was yanked up by the hair. "Owens is too soft on you, you fuckin need to learn how to respect us.” 

“screw you." Billy grits out. Anderson glares and starts dragging him out the room.

He drags him to a different door and opens it. It was a very small room. He quickly pushes Billy in. Before Billy can try to rush out, the door closed. It was dark, he could barley see his hands in front of his face. 

He goes to the door and starts banging on it, yelling, screaming and soon crying. He slumps down to the floor with his hands in his face. 

He hears the man's voice on the other side of the door. "In six hours you can come out." Six hours, six hours in this dark small place, alone.

Billy wipes his eyes and just thinks. 

Thinks about what that tape told him. Getting rid of threats and being a weapon.

They want him to be a weapon, he's going to be a weapon.

~~~

Steve was at his house putting on his shoes and putting on a coat. He was going to start searching in the woods to see if Max's father hid anything about Billy there.

As he's getting ready to go, there's frantic knocking on his door. "Coming." He gets up and goes to it. He opens it and sees it's Dustin and Max.

They rush in and shut the door. "Steve is anyone else here?”

"No." 

"Good, I have to show you something." She sounds a little frantic, she quickly starts to take off her book bag. "Steve you gotta see this shit, your not going believe it." Dustin says. Max digs through her bag and takes out an a yellow envelope.

She opens it and empty's it out. Stacks of money drop out, tons of it. Steve stares at it in disbelief. "Where the hell did you get this?"

"I found it my parents room, it was on my dad's night stand." 

"And you just decided to take it?"

"It has something to do with Billy. I was finally able to call my aunt she said that he wasn't there. She said that Neil was trying to convince her to take a bribe to cover for him." 

"Maybe-"

"There is no maybe Steve, Billy goes missing and all of sudden Neil gets all this money? He did something."

"And that's not all." Dustin says while taking off his bag. He opens it and takes out a canister a gasoline. It looks like it hasn't been open yet. "It's too cold to barque, so that's out. He's going to burn something, evidence." 

Steve is hoping that evidence isn't a body or something like that. "Are you going some where?" Max ask.

"I was going to search in the woods." 

"Good, we'll go with you." 

"Wait no, you guys need to stay-"  but both of them rush out the door. "Damn it." Steve mumbles. Steve rushes out the door after them. 

~~~

They search for almost two hours, steve had his flashlight lighting the way for them. 

"You think your dad buried him or something?" Dustin asked. 

"Dustin." Steve says with a warning look. Dustin looks apologetic about what he said. "Sorry Max."

"It's okay....lets just hope that's not what he's done." 

"You guys it's getting late, I have to take you guys home." But max looks down and then stares at Steve with a little bit of fear in her eyes. "I really don't want to. I'm scared of him steve. If he can do something to Billy, then he can do something to me if he finds out that I know too much." 

Steve felt his heart drop, Max is too afraid to go home because she probably lives with a monster. She's more afraid of Neil then she ever was of Billy. 

"I'll call hopper, tell him to maybe take you to his place for tonight." She nods and thanks him.

"Guys, come look at this!" They hear Dustin call out. They follow his voice and soon find him standing in a spot staring at something. Steve shines his flashlight and sees what it is.

"Oh my god." Max says once she gets a good look at it. Now Steve knows what Neil was going to burn.

Billy's car.

"We need to go back and call Hopper now." 

~~~~

Owens was heading down the hallway to Billy's room to check on him and give him some books on the Russians. 

He opens the door and sees that the room is empty. He didn't send someone to take him out of his room.

"Shit." He rushes out the hallway to start looking for him and possibly set off the alarms if he's trying to escape. 

As he's rushing, he bumps into his colleague. "Anderson where's Billy?”

"Owens we can't call him that, it's important we call him by his number." Owens sighs, trying not to get frustrated. "Where's 14?"

"Don't worry, he's in isolation." 

"Why? I didn't send him there." 

"He needs to learn how to respect us, we can not go soft on him." Owens looks at him as if was crazy. "Anderson that is going to make him resist even more." He quickly starts walking again with the other man following him behind. They finally get to the door and Owens quickly unlocks it.

The boy comes out, the stare that he gives them both is un settling. His eyes just seem empty of any emotion. “Billy are you-“

“14. we can’t keep on calling his name, we’ll lose control.” 

Billy eyes land solely on him. “My name is Billy asshole.”

“What did I say about respect-Ah!” The man feels an agonizing hot pain in his head. “My name is Billy! And the last thing I wanna do is respect you!” 

Billy goes closer to him and the man head’s get extremely hotter. “I’m not fucking anybody’s to control. Not you, not him and not my damn father. Not anymore.” The man face’s turning red from the heat Billy is giving off.

The man is screaming in agony, blood dripping out of his ears. After a few minutes the man collapses, he was Dead. 

Billy was about to wipe the blood from his nose, but instead he quickly turns around and catches Owens hand witch had a syringe in it “nice try.” He laughs

He takes the syringe and throws it, then shoves Owens to a wall and pins him there. “Listen and you listen good. If you even fuckin try to call back up, you’ll end up like him. Now I want my clothes back and I want you to drive me to the nearest burger joint because I didn’t get to eat my fucking lunch and then I want you to drive me to my house.”

“We...burned your clothes.” 

“Then fucking drive me to a clothing store for some new ones.” He growls. 

“Okay, okay just please calm down.” Owens says while putting his hands up in surrender. “Why do you need me to drive you to your house?”

Billy grins. “I’m told to get ride of threats, I’m getting rid of one tonight.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning violence and the use of a homophobic slur in this chapter

If's it's one thing Steve never expected to do its driving late at night with chief hopper to go question Billy's Hargrove's father. On the way there Hopper called a squad car to show up just in case he needed back up.

When they arrive at the house and they get out the police car and the first thing they hear is angry yelling. In one of the windows they see Billy's father shouting at a women to what they assume is his wife.

Steve watched them as he took a bag out from the car, He looked pissed and his eyes had range to them. He must found of out the money is gone. 

"Now you sure what you're saying is true?" 

Steve nods, this man has to be responsible for all this. "And the wife, do to think this was her idea too?” Steve shook his head, the wife might be an unwilling accomplice. Jim takes a deep breath before going to the door with Steve following him.

He pounds on the door making the yelling stop.  When no one answers the door after a few seconds he pounds louder. "Hawkins Police open the door!" After a minute or two the door is finally being unlock. 

It was Billy's mother standing there looking scared as ever. "What can I help you with sir?" She asked nervously. "I'm here to question your husband on the disappearance of your son."

"But we already told you-"

"I suggest you let me in right now ma'am unless you want me to take you both down to the station and question you." At that she meekly nods and opens the door to let him in and she's surprised when Steve goes in after him. 

Jim goes to the living room and sees Neil looking a little surprised that he’s here. "What can I do for you chief?" He ask calmly. "I need to ask you some questions about your son."

"Look he's with a family member and he's safe all right...wait what is he doing here?" He asked sounding annoyed from seeing steve again. "Don't worry about that, now you sure he's with family?"

"Yes, positive."

"That's weird because max and myself called this family member earlier and she says that she doesn't have Billy. Also she said that you tried to bribe her."

Neil started looking a bit nervous but still played it cool. "You must of dialed the wrong number, chief you don't need-"

"Also we found Billy's car in the woods. Let me ask you something if I have that thing dusted for finger prints would I find yours?”

Neil honestly didn't know what to say. Jim starts stepping closer to the man. "Where is he?"

"You have no right to accuse me-"

"Steve take it out." Steve nods and reaches into the bag and takes out the envelope. Opening it, he starts emptying out the contents on the floor. "Is this the money you tempted to bribe her with?” Steve ask

Neil looked like he was ready to kill the boy. "You fucking little bastard!" He starts charging at Steve but before he can get even close Hopper punched him in the jaw, making him almost fall to the ground. 

Jim grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Where is he?" 

"I'm not telling you anything until I get my lawyer. How dare you come into my house and-"

"He sold him." A quiet voice suddenly says. They all turn around and see Susan standing in the door way.

"Susan shut the fuck up!" Jim slammed him harder to make him be quiet and he looked back at the wife. "What?"

"He sold him, That's where the money came from.”

Jim and Steve looked very confused by this. "Where and to who?" Steve ask. Susan looks down, like she was ashamed. "To some scientists at Hawkins lab. He sold him to be a test subject." 

Steve and Hopper looked absolutely disgusted. 

Hopper turned his attention back to the man and glared. "You sick piece of shit, you sold your own damn son to be a guinea pig?" Neil glared right back. "The boy was actually useful for something, why should I keep such a useless fag-" Jim punched him again and it was with more force then before. 

Jim dragged him to the kitchen and pushed him into a chair. "You are going to stay here until I get back. I already called a squad car on the way here to keep an eye on this place, so don't even try to leave."

Ather he says that they see a red and blue flashing light outside the window. "They’re here, lets go steve. We need to go that damn lab."

Steve nods and starts following jim out to the the front door. "Wait what about her?" Steve ask pointing to Susan, Jim walked over to her.

"If he tries to hurt you just go outside to police car and tell them okay?"  She hesitates but nods. 

"Good, let's go steve." With that they leave the house and head for the car. 

~~~

Billy and Owens were at a Dairy Queen eating, well actually Billy was eating while Owens sat across from him at the table, watching nervously.

"You're very hungry I see." Billy wipes some ketchup off his lips and glared a little bit. "Yeah that's because you practically starved me." Owens is praying that's he's not getting angry. Now Billy wanted to get something to eat from that diner he went to but it just brings back the painful memory of his father tricking him there.

"Only the ice cream is good, the rest of the food not so much." He says as he eats a french fry. "Do you like your new clothes?" Billy nodded while continued to eat. 

He had a nice new pair of jeans, brown leather boots, black shirt and a black jacket. 

"If you decide to come back to the lab you can keep them, we’ll let you have meals like this...." Owens immediately stops trying to negotiate when he saw the look Billy was giving him. After that the boy goes back to eating. 

"You really think you letting me keep these clothes and better meals is going to make me go back there, after the way you treated me?" Owens bite his lip and thought about his next words carefully. 

"Billy our intentions were not to be cruel, we only did this so-" Billy grabbed his hand and made it heat up. "So you can use me as a tool, just some robot who's expected to do whatever you say?"

Owens hissed out in pain and pulled his hand away. His hand had a red imprint of Billy's hand. "I suggest you just be quiet until we leave." Billy says eerily calm. But Owens still talks.

 

"Billy soon my people are going to come looking for the both us, you do realize that right?”

"Then I'll just get ride of them the same way I got ride if that asshole." Billy finishes off the rest of his food and throws away his trash. 

"Come on let’s go."

"Billy please understand-" Billy turns around to give him a menacing glare. "Let's go Now." The man sighs but nods, he gets up and heads to the door with the young man. 

 

In a hour they were soon at Billy's house. Billy looked at his home and saw a cop car parked. "This will be quick. Well no I don't really plan on that." Billy unbuckles his seat belt and gets out the car. 

He walks straight up to the cop car and taps on the window. Once's it's down the police officers inside give him a puzzled look. "What's going on officers?" 

Both of them look at each other before talking. "Aren't you that missing kid?" Billy was surprised that the police knew about his disappearance. "Yes, I'm Neil Hargrove's Son."

"Your old man said you were with a relative, is that true?" Billy thought for a few seconds before nodding his head. "Yeah I decided to come back and just talk with my father. Try to fix things between us."

"Um...are you hurt, did he try to get rid of you on purpose?" Billy shook his head. "No we just had a minor disagreement. Sometimes me and him don't see eye to eye. I'm fine and there's no need to suspect him. So is it okay you guys can maybe go?"

One shook his head. "Sorry son, we have orders from the chief to stay here." 

"Well is it okay I can go inside and see him?" The officers looked they were considering. "That's Fine, just come back out here if there's any trouble, Okay?"

Billy nods and thanks them. He heads to the house with one thing on his mind. Neil. 

He opens the door and steps inside, after closing it he goes further inside. He goes to the living room and sees his step mother with his father. They didn't notice him because they were talking, well actually more like quietly arguing with each other. 

"Mom, Dad, I'm home." Both of them freeze and turn around. They look at him like he's a ghost. "Billy, you're out." His step mother whispers.

"Yeah I'm out, Hello Dad."  

Neil gets up from his seat and goes over to him. He stares at him carefully. "How did you get out?" 

"Simple I got them to drive me here. Now I wanna ask you a question. I know you're a heartless piece of shit but did you really hate me that much to sell me off  like I was property? Did you ever think what a real father is supposed to do for their son. I know that there are others like you but you really take the fucking cake."

Billy did not see the slap coming. It left a really bad sting. Neil grabbed his neck and glared at him. "You do not talk to me like that. I'm still you're father and you show me respect." 

Billy laughs a little. "You honestly think I'm going to respect you now? Screw you." He gets another slap witch only makes Billy grin despite his stinging cheeks. “You’re such an asshole.” he chuckles. Before Neil’s hand could hit him again, Billy caught his wrist and immediately it started getting scorching hot.

Neil gave a short scream and pulled his hand away. While he was looking in shock at his scorching skin. Billy took the opportunity to punch him. 

“You have no idea how I felt when you did that to me.” He punches him again and gets him to the ground and starts kicking him. 

“I was fucking scared out of my damn mind.” He made sure to get a hard kick to the stomach making Neil gasp and cough.

Susan stood and watched, too shocked to do anything. She’s never seen Billy this angry before. 

As Neil coughs and lays on the floor. Billy goes to the kitchen. He goes to the stove where there’s some pots and pans. 

He concentrates on one of them and makes it heat up to a high temperature. Once it’s hot enough he takes it off the stove and goes back to the living room. 

Neil was struggling to get off the floor and Billy grabs him to make him get up. He swings the pan and hits Neil with the hot underside, two times.

The scream was very satisfying to Billy. He hits Neil in the back of the head with it making him fall again.

Susan screams and goes to intervene but Billy gives her a warning look to stay away. She stands stills as Billy continues to hit him with the pan.

“What makes you hate me Dad? Is it because of mom dying, is it because you love max more or is it because you think I’m fagg? Why do you hate me?” When Neil doesn’t answer Billy kicks him again getting angrier.

“Why. Do. You. Hate. Me!?” He says each word with a kick. 

After he’s done kicking him, he gets out the living room and goes back to the kitchen. The boy gets an iron skillet, then goes to the drawer and grabs a lot of the silverware.

He puts them in the skillet and started heating them up. He did it until they melted completely, it was practically bubbling. After wiping his bloody nose, he puts on an oven mitt then grabs the skillet.

He goes back to Neil in the living room. “You’re not my father. You’re scum that I hate sharing blood with.” Billy tips the skillet and the liquid lands on Neil’s hand.

Neil screamed so loud that it could probably be heard from outside. Susan was cowering in a corner and crying, scared that she might be next.

“The way you’re in pain on the floor, feeling helpless. That’s how I felt, that’s how I always felt.” Billy puts the skillet over Neil’s head ready to pour it again but before he could do it he heard the door slam open.

Two people run inside. It was Steve and hopper.

“Billy.”

“Harrington, what the hell are you doing here?”

“Me and hopper came back here when the squad car called him on the radio, saying that you were here.” After saying that’s he looks at Neil and sees the injuries on the man, including the melted metal covered hand.

Steve realized that Billy came back here to kill the man.

“Billy, you have to put the skillet down. You can’t-“

“Why fucking not! Do you have any idea what he did to me!?” He sounded so emotional, Billy actually looked like he was close to tears. “He sold me. I’m his fucking son and he sold me. While I was at that place I was in pain every day!” 

“Billy he’s a piece of shit and you have every right to be pissed at him, but Let hopper take him, he can go away for a long time for what he did, do you really want to be a murderer because of him.”

Billy looked at Neil and back at steve, he looked very confused. “Why do you care Harrington?”

“Because you didn’t deserve what happened to you, Billy you got to hurt him but Let hopper take care of it now. Don’t have this man turn you into a killer.” Steve goes over to Billy and carefully puts his hand on Billy’s wrist and gently makes him lower the skillet a little. 

“Max is worried and she wants you back.”

“S-she does?” Steve nodded. “If you do this you might go to prison and she won’t be able to see you. Don’t let this man put you in a another bad situation please.” 

Billy keeps looking at Neil, more sadness starts taking over, his eyes were watery and turning red. “No, no I have to, h-he hurt me so much. I can’t let him get away with this, it’s not fair!” Tears come down his cheeks. Billy tips the skillet more ready to pour the rest but Steve tackles Billy to the ground.

The skillet falls, luckily not getting them. Steve was able to get Billy in a hold making Billy struggle. But he soons stops and goes almost limp.

The boy sobs, more tears getting on his face. “I hate him, I fucking hate him.” He whispers. Steve sighs and helps Billy up.

“Lets get out of here okay, do you want to see max?” Steve ask gently trying to comfort the boy.

Billy sniffs and shyly nods. While he’s leading him out the house hopper goes over to Neil to handcuff him. 

“We’ll have to wait in hopper’s car, then he’ll come back out and take us okay?” Steve gets another nod. Steve started to rub Billy’s back soothly. 

“It’s okay Billy, it’s over.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter I decided that Billy will meet 11


	6. Chapter 6

It took almost a long time for hopper to drive them where they needed to go, but they were finally able to get there. 

It's a small cabin almost deep in the woods. Billy wonders why the chief lives in a such a secluded area, he must be a very private person or something.

Before they get out Billy decides to ask something to steve when hopper got out first. "Why did you stop me?" Steve paused when he was grabbing the door handle. "Because...I didn't want you in another deep situation."

"Harrington I practically beat your face in, so why the hell do you care what happens to me? If you're doing this out of pity, then spare me it." Billy says trying to sound annoyed but was too emotionally exhausted to. "Billy what he did shouldn't of happen to no one, when you went missing for weeks no one looked for you and....it bothered me."

"Why couldn't you be like everyone else and not give a damn?" Steve looks down a little. "Max also cared you know." That kind of confused Billy even more. He expected Max to be happy with him gone, not actually be worrying about him. 

Billy doesn't ask anymore questions he just gets out the car and goes to Hopper who is waiting by the door, Steve gets outs and follows him. 

Hopper unlocks it and opens it. They step inside and look around the old wooden house. It was small but decent. "Where is she?" Billy ask.

Hopper motions them to follow him, they get to a certain door and he knocks. "Girls, I'm back." 

Wait, girls? Billy thought. 

The door opens and the one who answers it is a young girl with curly hair, she has on  
a pair of overalls, with a stripped shirt and she had a waffle in her hand.

"Late." She says. 

"Yes, I know I said I be back at 10:00, it just took longer then I expected." The girl sighs but nods. Behind her Billy sees familiar red hair. "Max?" The girl looks up and she immediately gets up to go over to him. 

"Billy are okay? W-What did he do?" She ask sounding generally concerned. She should hate him not be concerned. "I'm fine max." 

"No you're not, you were missing for weeks, almost a month, what did he do and where did he get all that money?” She was now starting to sound a little frantic. She wasn't going to stop asking until Billy told the truth.

"He.....sold me to that freaky Laboratory." Billy felt so sick saying it, saying this to Max. "I was their test subject." Max first looked shocked, then sad and finally angry. "That asshole! That fucking asshole!" She was so distraught by this, even the curly haired girl looked disturbed by this

"Max please calm down, I'm fine now okay. Max if you were happy with me gone, I won't be mad." Honestly he wouldn't. But she shook her head. "I wouldn't be happy if you were getting hurt." Then she did something unexpected.

She hugged him. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she looked up at him with sad eyes. "You didn't deserve that." She lets go of him and grabs his hand to lead him into the room. 

"I...convinced hopper to let me get you something at that store in case you came back." She picks up a magazine off the floor and hands it to him. "It's a car magazine, I thought you might like it, has your favorite models." Billy looks through it and sees the different cars he loves. He didn't think Max would remember what he liked.

"Thank you." He says meaning it. 

"Not to interpret, but it's getting really late and Max I'm going to have to drop you off at Ms.Byers." Max look frustrated, she didn't want to go yet. "Why can't I stay here?" 

"Because you and el wouldn't be able to share a bed since it's not big enough, plus I have no sleeping bag and the couch is for Billy."

"Wait why I'm staying here and not her?" 

"Because those people back at the lab might be looking for you." That made Billy realize something. Owens.

"Um did you see another car in in front of my house?" Jim shook his head. "No why?"

"Owens took me to my house, I threatened him to do it and now he must of escape while I was busy with my dad." 

"Oh god." Hopper says sounding completely exhausted from dealing with tonight. "I'm going to look for him and convince him not to have his minions come after us. Come on max, I promise you can see him tomorrow Okay?"

She looks down and nods, then she gives Billy a light hug before leaving the room. Once she's out steve goes over to him. "Hey are you okay, you need anything?" 

Billy shakes his head and sits on the bed. "Okay, If you change your mind then let me know. Hopper is going to get you dinner, is there anything-"

"Already ate."

"Oh, well I'll just tell him that, good night Billy." Steve gets up ready to leave but before he could go he heard Billy call out to him. "Steve?" Billy has never used his first name, not without using a mocking tone before. The way he said it this time was soft and shy.

"Yes Billy?"

"Can you come with Max tomorrow?" Steve didn't think he heard right. "What?"

"Can you come with Max tomorrow...please?" Steve didn't almost know what to say. "Oh um sure, if that's what you want, I'll be here." 

"Thank you." It's strange to see Billy like this. No sarcastic remarks, no sneers or even an insult. He just looks like a scared quite boy. "Also I need a pack of cigarettes." He mumbles. It's been long since he's had one and he needs some because he stressed. 

Steve nods and heads to the door. "Good night Billy." 

"Night." Steve goes out the room while closing the door a little. 

The only one left was the curly haired girl. She looked and Billy realized what he was doing. "Oh, sorry this your bed isn't it?” He was about to get up but the girl shook her head. "You can sit." Billy sits back down and the girl sits next to him. "Jane." She says. "What?"

"My name." She says pointing to herself. "My name is Jane." 

"Oh, um Billy." She nods then touches his shoulder. "Your papa...gave you away?" Billy nods. "To the bad men?" Billy knew she that meant the scientist so he nodded again. "Why?"

"Because. He just hates me." Jane looked a little miffed. "Mouth breather." 

"What?"

"Your papa, mouth breather." That made Billy laugh a little. "Yeah, he is a mouth breather and an asshole." She nods and then ask "the bad man, they hurt you too?" 

"Everyday." Jane give him a look of sympathy. "They hurt me too." Billy looked at the child with surprised. She's been at the hands of those assholes? This young girl was experimented on? "My papa, he worked there. He did bad stuff to me." 

That made Billy a little angry, a young girl going through the same experiments and her father giving orders to do it. "Can you do stuff?" 

"Hm?"

"Can you do stuff?" it took Billy a minute to realize what she was talking about. "Um yes...can you?” Jane nods. "Can I see?" Billy ask, the girl thinks for a moment before saying "will you show me?" Once Billy nods, the girl looks at Billy's magazine and concentrates. 

The magazine started to float in mid air, she made it go a little higher, Billy was absolutely amazed. Jane makes the Magazine go down, then she looks at Billy. "Your turn." 

Billy looks around until he spots the waffle on the floor in a napkin. He goes over to it and picks it up. "Can I use this?" Jane nods and Billy puts it on her nightstand. He starts concentrating. In a few seconds the waffle started getting hot, soon it turned a dark brown and steam was coming off it. 

Jane looked impressed, she goes over to Billy and says “Cool." Billy smiles, "you're cool too." Jane smiles back and they both sit on the bed. "Number?" Billy pulls his sleeves up and shows her the tattoo on his arm.

Then she does the same thing and shows him. "My friends. Call me el. You can call me el." 

"But you said your friends-"

"Your my friend. New friend." Billy didn't really know what to say, a child sweet as Jane wants to be friends with him. "Do you want eggos?" Billy wasn't too hungry but he couldn't refuse her polite offer. "Yes, that be nice." El gets up from the bed and walks out the room. 

After five minutes she comes back with two warm waffles and she hands one to Billy. "Thank you." He takes a bite and both of them sit quietly eating their snack. "Watch tv?" El ask

"Sure." After they finish eating their waffles, they go in the living room and sit on the couch. Jane turns on the T.V. and a soap opera is on. Billy isn't a fan of soap operas but he'll watch with el to make her happy. 

"Something else?"

"No, this is fine." But el shook her head. "You don't like it. It's okay." She gets up and goes back to the tv and changes it. While she does that she says. "Don't lie. Friends don't lie, okay?" Billy nods and says "okay." She keeps turning it until Billy says "wait, go back." She switchs it back. On the screen was a man and a women. 

Both were sitting down and talking. The man had a mustache and slicked hair, was wearing a leather jacket. "This?" El ask. Billy nods and she gets back on the couch with him. "Who's That?"

"That's Freddy Mercury. He's doing an interview, he's part of a band I like called Queen." 

"Queen?"

"Yes, have you heard their music before?" The girl thought before saying "no." 

"Really, Never?" El only shook her head. What kid hasn't heard Queen? "I listen to them whenever I'm upset, especially at my father." 

"They make you happy?" 

"Yeah, they do. You know I can ask hopper to call Steve so I can tell him to bring my Walkman and some tapes, let you listen to it. Would you like that?" El smiles and says "yes." 

After that they sit and enjoy the interview on tv. 

Billy never thought he like a kid like Jane this much.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry I took so long to update, I had finals to study.

The next morning Billy woke up to the smell of food. Breakfast he thought. He gets up and stretches his muscles.

The sofa wasn’t really comfortable, but it was better then nothing. As soon he rubs the sleep from his eyes, he sees a mess of curls heading his way.

It was Jane. She sits next to him and ask “sleep well?” Billy shrugs and says. “Could of been better, this couch feels lumpy.” The girl thinks for a moment before saying “new bed, Jim can get a new bed.”

“No, it’s okay kid. There’s not enough room anyway.” Billy gets up and heads to the table where two plates where set. Eggos and some scrabbled eggs. “I have to go in early, you two stay here and try to not get into trouble....Billy when I get home we have to talk okay?” Hopper says. Billy pokes his food with his fork and mumbles an “Okay.” Hopper nods and goes out the door. 

In a few minutes they hear his car start up and then drive away. It was just him and El again. El takes a bite of her eggo, then makes a face. “Cold.” she says. Billy looks up from his plate. “Hm?”

“Cold, not cooked enough....can you...?” Billy knows what she’s asking and he nods. “Set it back on the plate.” After she does that, she sees the waffle start heating up as it starts to get brown.

Billy stops and ask, “is that good?” The girl nods and smiles. “Thank you.” But her smile drops when she studies the boy’s facial expression. “Billy what’s wrong?” Billy scrapes his eggs around his plate and says “nothing.” 

“Billy, remember friends don’t lie. Please tell me.” Billy sighs and puts his fork down. “I’m missing something, something that’s was important and for some reason I now just realize it’s gone.” 

“What is it?”

“A necklace. If was my mom’s and she gave it to me....before she died.” Billy had to blink twice so tears wouldn’t come to his eyes. That necklace was important and now it’s gone with the rest of his old clothes. Jane looked sadden to hear this.

“I’m sorry. You’re mama was nicer then your papa?” Billy nodded. El hesitated before asking “can you tell me about her?” Billy gave a weak laugh as he bite into some of his food. “Where do I began, she was so beautiful and just full of life. I look a lot like her, that’s another thing my old man hates about me.” His father seeing him after his mother died just made him so angry, like he was some kind of ghost haunting him. 

“She loves the ocean and anything aquatic.”

“Aquatic?” The girl ask tilting her head. “It means water. She loved it so much that we would go to the beach almost every weekend, she take me to aquariums and boat rides. She also loved art. I remember her buying supplies so we could paint and do crafts together.” Billy gave a faint smile to the memories of him and his mother paintings on blank canvas and building little bird houses and wind chimes.

He also remembers his father yelling at his mother for doing that stuff with him, telling her she was turning him into some kind of faggot. Art was not something real men did in his eyes. 

“She would also get me a lot of books, my favorite one is called Alice in wonderland.” El looked intrigued by the title. “Its a great book, maybe I can get you it someday.” El smiles “Your mama sounds nice and fun.” Billy nods and eats more of his food. “She was, she was great.” 

“Do you know where the necklace is?” Billy only shrugs. “The people back at the lab took it with the rest of my clothes, it’s either burned or being pawned.”

El looked angry, she must really hate the people at that lab as much as Billy. “Stupid mouth breathers.” She mumbles. Billy puts a hand on her shoulder. “Hey let’s not think about those assholes anymore, Okay?” El nods and then Billy gets up from the table, he was about to ask El where the phone is but there was a knock at the door. 

Billy goes to it and answers. 

It was Steve and he was holding a crate that was full of stuff that looked like it was from his room. “Hey, me and max went back to your place last night and got some things you might want. Also I got you your cigarettes and I was able to skip school today. Can I come in?”

Billy opens the door wider and Steve walks in, going into the living room to set the stuff down. “I was about to call you, but then I remembered you I didn’t have your number and there’s probably no phone in here.” 

“I’ll give it to you later.” Steve says while reaching into his pocket and handling him a box of cigarettes. He hands it to Billy and then takes out another thing. Billy looked a little surprised, it was his zippo. 

“I found it in your-Um nevermind, here.” Billy takes it and flicks it open. It still works. Well at least he still has something special besides the necklace. 

“Thanks.” Just then El comes in and stares at steve. “Hi Steve.” Steve says hi back and El’s eyes land on the box. She goes over to it and sits in front of it.

“What’s this?” 

“Thats my stuff from my house, steve brought it here.” At that she starts digging through it a little, really curious to know more about the stuff Billy has. 

The first thing she finds is a record, still in its sleeve. “Pretty.” She says. Billy sees what’s she talking about and smiles. “That’s my Queen album, Jazz.” He turned to steve and asked. “You brought my record player?”

“Yeah and your tapes with your Walkman.” He didn’t think steve would be that consider it. Billy goes over to the create and takes out his record player. “Now I can show you some good music Jane.” Billy plugs it into an outlet and then takes the record.

Jane watches as Billy sets the record on the machine then put the needle on it, then finally turns it on. 

Soon the song starts.

‘Tonight I’m gonna have myself a real good time.  
I feel alive  
And the world is turning inside out, Yeah.’

As the song starts off slow, Billy and Steve see el nodding her head to the music. She likes it. “Sounds like a....dream, dreamy.”

“Yeah they do have a whimsical feeling.” Then suddenly the song starts to pick up.

‘Don’t stop me now  
Cause I’m having a good time, having a good time.  
I’m shouting star leaping through the sky  
Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity.’

El actually started to smile when the rest started to play, it just sounded silly but fun to her. “I like it.” She simply says, Witch makes both of the boys smile back. When Freddy Mercury sung about being a rocket ship going to mars, the girl actually giggled. 

Billy sat next to her and they both listen, at one point Billy started playing air guitar making el laugh even more.

Steve was actually amazed that Billy was getting along so great with El, this is the happiest he’s seen him. The smile on his face wasn’t crazed or mocking, it was just a real happy smile.

Steve thought it looked good on him and he would want to see Billy happy like this more often. 

He actually can’t believe he wants Billy Hargrove to smile more.

Soon the song fades out and another song starts to play, this time it was one called ‘fun it.’ Steve sat next to Billy and all three them listen to the music until the record stopped.

~~~~~

Soon all three of them were sitting on the couch watching T.V.

It was getting close to lunch, so steve offered to pick up a pizza and bring it back and he even offered to go get max from school. 

Both Billy and el wanted pepperoni, so steve decided on that. When he left, Billy thought of something he and el could do. “Hey my mom showed me a recipe with eggos, wanna try it?” The girl immediately nodded and they both got up from the sofa. 

Billy went to the freezer and got out a box of eggos and luckily he was able to find some ice cream.

Billy cooks two waffles with the toaster this time and when they were done, he cuts each into four pieces. “We did this one day when we wanted something different for dessert, she was creative with simple stuff like this.”

Billy gets an ice cream scoop and opens the tub of frozen dessert. With each scoop of ice cream he puts it on a piece of waffle, then covers it with the other, creating little sandwiches. 

El looked amazed, like she didn’t know you can combine ice cream and eggos. “We can eat these after our pizza.” Billy puts them in the fridge and chuckles when he sees El pout. “Don’t worry, I’m sure he’s on his way back by now.” Billy goes back to the living and grabs his coat, putting it on.

“Where are you going?” El ask when she saw him put it on and his shoes. “Just going out for walk, need some time to clear my head.” She nods completely understanding, she’s done the same thing plenty of times.

It was a little cold out, the wind was blowing and there was rustling in the trees from animals like squirrels or birds.

Billy doesn’t know how long he walked but it must of been for a good a while, he was having a little bit of hard time remembering which way he came.

As he walked he casually burned a stick or falling leaf just of out boredom. Billy wonders what’s now going to happen for him, what’s going to happen to max, even wonders what will happen to Susan now that Neil was being put away.

He also wondered if the people at the lab are still looking for him and if Owens is leading them to look for him. 

“Fuck, how deep are these woods.” He should of brought his Walkman along, it’s getting a little too quiet for him. 

But he finds something to keep him occupied, a can. Billy kicks it as he goes along and humming. He keeps track of it.

After five minutes he gives it a hard kick, it almost flew in the air. Then he heard a clang, it hit something. Billy goes in the direction he kicked the can.

When he finds the can, the first thing he sees a tire in front of it. He looks up and Billy’s eyes widen when he sees what’s attached to the tire. 

Billy looked like he was staring at a ghost, there he sees a familiar shade of blue and windshield. It was his car. His car.

It was dirty, covered in leaves, some scratches and dents. Now Billy should be relieved or satisfied that he found it and wasn’t in a scrape yard somewhere but seeing it just gave him a knot in his stomach. 

It brought back images of his father tricking him and driving him to that dreadful place while he was laying in the back seat completely drugged.

Billy couldn’t look at that Camaro without feeling sick, sad, frustrated and angry. It’s not fair, one of the few things Billy loves is now hated by him. He just hates it now and all because of his damn father. Billy keeps staring, he started to tremble a little bit, he felt like he was going to vomit.

Billy looks on the ground and he sees a few rock scattered. Billy picks one up and actually throws it at the car. It hits the windshield and makes it crack.

He picks up another one and throws really hard, this time he did break the windshield. He picks up more and throws them with angry grunts.

When he couldn’t find anymore near him, he concentrated really hard and the car engine started to smoke, Billy eyes were getting wet as watch the car start to malfunction. 

It’s not fair, it’s just not fair. Why did Neil have to take him that place in his own car, probably just to make feel so helpless. Billy didn’t even wanna touch the thing.

Billy sobbed and give a loud scream.

The car started to catch fire and the engine give off a lound sound. Billy watched the flames grow while his nose was bleeding. 

Suddenly he heard a shout

“Billy!”

He turns around and sees Steve running towards him. “Billy, move from there before you get hurt!”

But for some reason Billy didn’t listen, he only stood and continued to watch the flames get bigger. 

Then he felt arms wrap around him and pull him away, steve made them back up far enough and just in time to.

The car give a small explosion and glass almost few every where. Steve got himself and the other boy to the ground to duck. 

“Oh my god Billy, are you okay?” But steve only got a small sob in response. “Billy, what’s wrong?”

“H-He ruined e-everything, everything. How d-did you know I was here?”

Steve helps him get up and he rubs his back, “El told me you went for a walk, so I just started looking for you, Billy do you wanna go back to the house?” 

Billy nods and Steve starts to walking with him, hand still rubbing his back. 

“Billy I promise you he won’t hurt you anymore and I’ll make sure that of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment please


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be sure to comment

Back at the house Billy sees max and el sitting at the table with a box of pizza, looks like they were waiting for them.

When el sees them, she looks at Billy and runs up to him. "Are you Okay?"

"Yeah kiddo I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?" El frowns and shakes her head. "Crying. You were crying." Billy's eyes were still red and teary. Billy wipes them the best way he can and gives a El a smile, but it was still sad.

"Don't worry about me okay." He ruffles her curls and goes over to max, "Hey max how was school?”

"It was good, all though Dustin was being a spazz about our project." 

"Um, witch one is Dustin again?" Billy asking looking a little embarrassed that he couldn't remember his sister's friends. "The one with the curly hair and baseball cap." 

"Oh him, now it's coming back to me." Billy sits down and steve opens the pizza box. "Dig in everyone." They all take their slices and Billy chuckles when he sees El struggle with the cheese sliding off her slice. 

"Billy I need to know...what did they do to you in there?" Max ask. Billy almost flinches at the question, he's not sure if he wants to tell her or Steve. But he already told el and he just met her. So it's only fair that he tells Max

"They drugged me, like a lot and they did different things to trigger something out of me, they did shock therapy, hurt like a bitch, then isolation and...and..." He swallowed, his throat felt dry, all the things they did to him haunt him and will haunt him for a long time. 

Max puts a hand his arm and looks at him with her big eyes. "It's okay, you don't have to talk about it, but trigger what?" 

"They wanted me to have a power." Max looks hesitant but ask. "Do you have one?" Billy nods. Then he reaches into his pocket and takes out a cigarette, he lights it up with his Mind. Max and Steve jump a little. "D-Did you just do that?" Steve ask. Billy nods and puts the cigarette in his mouth to smoke. 

Suddenly Steve thinks back to last night when he found Billy with that pan with melted metal. "So when you had that pan, that's how you melted the metal in it?" Billy nods again and blows out some smoke. “You set the car on fire?" 

"Yes." 

"Billy is special, like me." El says, taking Billy's hand and smiling, making Billy smile. She then looks at steve. "Steve, we have to help Billy." 

"El we already got him out and Hopper is doing something about the lab workers." El shakes her head. "We have to help get his necklace. missing." Both Steve and Max looked down at Billy's chest and realized that the necklace that he usually wears isn't there anymore.

"It's his mama's, we have to get it to back." She pleads. But Billy starts to protest "El it's okay we don't need to worry-" 

"No, it's important. To you. you can't have them take that away. They took too much from you.” She was right, they took too much, his dignity, whatever happiness he had left, his pride and his control. Steve decides to speak up. "We can try, but we have to plan to do this."

"I agree." Max pipes up. "Billy those dicks took a lot from you, you should get something back." Billy finishes the last of cigarette and goes to the garbage to throw it away. He sighs making smoke go out his mouth. 

"Look I'm not sure if it's still there, but I do want it back. So we'll look, we just need to find the right time to go and make sure they don't get me again." 

El goes to him and looks at him with hopeful eyes. "W'ill find it. We will." 

~~~~~

When hopper gets back, steve and max are still there. "Hey Chief." Steve says. Max waves hi back. All of the kids were on couch looking at the T.V. 

Hopper goes to Billy. "Son, I need you to go to the station with me." Billy tenses up and hop notices. "Kid you're not in trouble Okay, we need to clear something up with your father. Get a statement so he can stay in prison, Okay."

"D-Do I have to see him?" 

"I'm not sure, I can’t promise that." Billy's not sure about this, he wants the bastard to get what he deserves, but at the same time he doesn't want to see him. Billy looks at steve then ask "Can I bring Steve?" Hopper wasn't expecting that, but he nods.

Billy needs someone to help him get through this and Steve would be able to do that. "Okay he can come, you two go in the car and you girls stay here." They all nod and steve and Billy get up to go to the door. 

"Um Steve, do you want to go? because I understand if you don't want to get mixed up in my problems." Steve shakes his head and puts a hand on his shoulder. "No man I wanna help you, I want to make sure that bastard rots, Okay?"

"O-Okay." Steve gives him a smile that makes his heart flutter. "Come on lets go.

~~~~

At that station they were waiting in hop's office, the man went go get some paper work and coffee. When the door opens, Hop enters with a clipboard and cup of coffee. 

"You boys want anything?" Both of them shook their heads. Hopper sits at his desk and gets out a pen. "Okay let's start then. When did Neil send you to Hawkins lab?" 

"Um, about Five or four weeks ago." He couldn't remember what day or the time. "How did he get you there?" Billy bites his lip and twiddles with his thumb. "He said that he wanted to talk to me. I was first suspicious, but he told me I wasn't in trouble so I listened to him." Billy wished he didn't go along with him so easy, he thinks he should of kept his suspicion.

"Then he took me to a diner, we sat and he told me left his wallet in the car. I went to go get it for him...and he drugged my food." He saw hopper clench his hand around his pen. "When did it start taking affect?" He ask with a strain voice. 

"After I ate, he got me to the car and drove me to the lab. There they injected me with more drugs." Billy told Hopper everything he needed to hear. How they hurt him physically and mentally. 

After hopper wrote all of it down, Steve and hopper felt like stomping Neil Hargrove to the grown. "A few more questions and were done okay?" 

Billy nods and hopper turns to a different page on his clipboard. "When did he first start abusing you?”

"Um about after my mom died. I was 12 at the time." 

"Did it start out verbally?"

"Yes, it did. He call me things like faggot or worthless. An accident from my mother, then soon he would come home drunk and take his anger out on me." 

"Has he ever hit max or was it just you?"

"Just me. He never touched max." If he did Billy would of fought back. Hopper finishes writing and sighs. "Um chief, what now?"

"We're going to have to go to court."


	9. Chapter 9

The next day, Billy had to go back to school and Steve drove him. “So how are you feeling?” Billy shrugs and gets out the car.

“Do you wanna go back to the cabin, Hopper said you can go back if you’re not to going today.” 

“No, I have to go. I missed too many days already, I probably have a lot I have to catch up on.” They walk toward the building and get inside. 

As they walk down the hallway, everyone starts to stare at Billy, whispering among themselves. It made Billy feel nervous and uncomfortable. Billy goes all the way to his locker and starts opening it. He was surprised to find all his books still there. All of them untouched and a little dusty. 

“So in English class we’ve been reading this book and he have to write an essay on it, here I’ll give you the rubric for it.” Steve puts his bag down and starts digging through it. “What are we reading?”

“Some novel called the great gastby.” Billy smiles a bit, he always wanted to read that book. Steve gives him the rubric and Billy looks over it. “Does the teacher have more copies of the book?”

“She should but, If she doesn’t I’ll let you borrow my copy.” Billy nods and thanks him. After he gets his stuff in his bookbag they walk down the hallway together. As they’re walking a light voice calls out Steve’s name. “Steve!” 

They both turn around and see Nancy. “Hey Steve, um where were you yesterday?” Steve shrugs and says “Felt like having a day off.” She nods and then looks to Billy, but Billy looks down a little. “Long time no see wheeler.” He mumbles.

“Yeah, I guess I can say the same about you. Well I gotta get to class, see you at lunch steve.” She turns around and walks down the hallway. “I’m surprised Byers wasn’t trailing after her, you still hang out with them?”

“Yeah, sometimes.”

Billy didn’t get why Steve would hang out with his ex that cheated on him, he also doesn’t get why Steve stuck around him yesterday. Sure he asked him to, but he could of said no.

The bell rings and Steve smiles a little, “Well I guess I’ll see you at in English and gym.” Billy nods and they both go their separate ways.  
~~~~~

At gym they had basketball practice, Billy felt good to go back to playing the game he loved. It took a little bit of stress off of him.

This time when he was playing, he wasn’t so rough with Steve. He plays fair and uses up a lot of energy. “Glad you’re still have game Hargrove, good to have one of my top players back.” Coach says while slapping a hand on his shoulder.

“Thanks coach.” The boys go to the locker room, some getting dress and some taking a shower. Steve and Billy were taking showers. “You went missing for weeks and you’re still good.” Steve jokes. 

“I’ve may have missed a lot of practice time, but I can still kick your ass on the court.” Billy jokes back. Steve grins, it’s good that Billy is getting comfortable and less nervous now. Soon tommy comes in with them and turns on his faucet.

“Hey Harrington, Billy.” Steve mumbles a “hey.” and Billy says nothing. “So where ya been man? this school needs their king.” Both Billy and Steve rolled their eyes. “Some people said you that you ran away to get out of here and go back to sunny California. If that’s true what made you come back to this shit hole?”

“You listen to too many rumors.” Steve mumbles. “He didn’t run away.”

“Oh. Where did you go?” 

“None of your damn business.” Billy says with venom. “Chill man, no need to be hostile. I was just worry about you, that’s all.” Billy gave a fake laugh. “If you were worried, you would of done something to look for me.” 

Tommy shrugs. “I was busy man, what happened to you that you needed to be looked for? did you disappear like barb and the little Byers freak?” He says with a little bit of laugh. Billy saw Steve look absolutely pissed when he said that. It must been something that steve never joked about.

“Tommy do us a fucking favor and shut the fuck up.”

“Geeze Harrington take a joke.” Steve glares and turns off his shower and starts to head out. Billy turns off his and follows, but before going to get dressed, he looks at tommy‘s shower head and stares at it for a moment. “What the fuck! cold, cold!” Tommy shouts. He quickly turns off the shower and shivers. 

Billy was about to smirk but he realized the water didn’t turn hot, but cold.

And it wasn’t his intention to turn it that way.

 

After school Steve saw Billy waiting by his car and he was about to go over to him but he heard his name being called. He turns around and sees Nancy heading over to him.

“Hey Steve, can I talk to you for a moment?” 

“Um sure, what’s up?” 

“Are you and Billy friends now?” She ask, seeming worried. Why would she be worried about that? “Yeah, maybe. Too be honest I’m not sure, why?”

“Well it’s just that...I just don’t trust him around you. He’s not good enough to be around you.” Steve sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Nancy he was missing for weeks and he needs someone to make sure he’s okay.”

“But why are you doing it?”

“Max ask me to.” He lied, he’s not sure if she would believe him if he said that he’s doing this without being asked. Nancy looks at the boy near Steve’s car and raises a brow. “He seems fine to me.” 

“Well he’s not, okay nance. He’s really not. Look you don’t need to worry about me okay?” She huffs but nods. “Fine, but let me know if he tries anything.” Steve nods, but says “trust me Nance, he’s not exactly the same anymore.” 

“What happened to him?” Steve shakes his head. “I can’t tell you, at least not yet.” With that steve walks over to his car.

“Hey, I didn’t take too long, did I?”

“Nah, you didn’t.” They get inside the car and buckle up. “I have to pick up Dustin. Is that okay?” Billy hesitates, but nods. 

Steve drives to the middle school and they see Max and the other kids, They were all talking to each other. Steve honks the horn and all of them look towards Steve’s car. Everyone one of them except for max seemed shocked that Billy was in the car with Steve. Dustin looks nervous, but max grabs his hand and leads him over to the car.

They get in and Max smiles. “Hey billy, how was your day at school?” Billy shrugs. “Okay I guess, I’m reading a new book.” He then looks to Dustin. The kid looked a little scared. “you’re Dustin right?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“My sister says your a spazz, is that true?” At that Dustin looks at Max like he’s been betrayed. “I’m not a spazz!” 

Both max and Steve laugh at him. “Yeah you are dude.” Steve says. Dustin pouts and calls them both assholes. Steve chuckles and starts the car to drive.

“All right Dustin quit pouting, if it makes you feel better we’ll stop at Dairy Queen for a snack.” Dustin grins, almost forgetting what he was mad about. 

~~~~~

They stop at Dairy Queen and go to Steve’s house. Max and Dustin sit in the living room working on their project.

They were cutting out pictures from magazines and newspapers, then sticking them on a poster board, then they would write captions under it. 

Steve and Billy were on the couch, eating their food as they watch the younger ones work on their project. “So what are you guys working on?” Steve ask.

“We had to pick an important Scientific figure to do a report on, so we chose Charles Darwin and his theory on evolution.” Max says.

“Personally I wanted to do Albert Einstein, but mike being the son of bitch that he is, took him before I could.” Dustin grumbles. He then looks at Billy and bites his lip before asking. “So Billy, How ya doing dude?”

“I’m fine kid.”

“Oh, well is it true that your father tried to get rid of you or something?”

“Dustin!” Both Max and Steve shout, making the boy flinch. “Hey calm down you guys, kid how do you know that?”

“Um well, me, steve and max were looking for you in the woods, trying to figure out what happened to you.”

“You helped look for me?” Billy ask to make sure the kid wasn’t joking or something. Dustin shyly nods. “We looked almost all night for you.” Max says.

Billy gives Dustin a small smile and motions him to come sit next to him on the sofa. “I’ll tell you what happened if you’re curious, My Dad did try to get rid of me.”

“How?”

“He sold me to the lab.”

“Holy shit!” Dustin shouts. “What was it like?”

“Hell. It was like hell, but I did get something out of it. You wanna see?” Dustin nods eagerly. Billy picks up his soda he got with his meal and takes off the lid. “Watch.” Billy stares and concentrates while Dustin looks at the soda also. Soon it freezes up, it turn completely solid.

Steve and Dustin looked in shock. Steve thought Billy could only heat things up. “Max look at this.” Steve says. Max goes over and looks in the cup.

“How did it get that way?” 

“I did it.” Billy simply says. “But..I thought you could only heat stuff up.”

“I thought so too. Hey kid you’re not going to start freaking out are you?” Dustin stares at him and grins. 

“That’s so awesome!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided that Billy will now be able to turn things hot and cold. I miss getting comments is it okay if you guys leave some


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got some comments that wanted me to continue this story and I decided that I’ll continue this. I’m sorry you guys waited so long. But I hope you guys enjoy this chapter

"How did you even do that? I thought you could only control heat." Steve ask in amazement as he looks the frozen soda.  

Billy only shrugs. 

"Wait he has heat powers? Can I see?" Dustin ask with excitement. "You got something you wanna light on fire?"

"Yeah how about we don't light anything on fire while we're in my house." Dustin pouts and mumbles how Steve is no fun. 

"Just do it out outside or something." Dustin grabs Billy's hand and the boy stands up. Dustin leads him outside. Soon Max is following them.

Dustin leads him to a certain tree. "There's a wasp nest on that branch, can you make it explode?"

"Why do you want me to do that?"

"Because every time I bike to Steve's house those things get near me and it's annoying."

"Not sure if this will work kid." 

"But you have fire powers, fire beats anything!" Max rolls his eyes at him. "This probably won't work."

"We'll see it about that. Come on Billy." Billy looks at the wasp nest and focus. In a few seconds the thing catches fire a little. “Can you make it explode?"

Max was about to protest, but the wasp nest combusts and pieces of it go flying. Billy's nose bleeds. Max glares at Dustin. "You idiot don't exhaust him."

"Don't worry about it Max, I'm fine..but we need to get back into the house, those wasp look pissed." Both of them nod and hurry back to the house.

~~~~~~

The whole afternoon, Dustin kept on asking him questions about the lab and his powers, he also had him freeze a few things.

At 4:45 Steve was taking Dustin and Max home. Billy was going to stay at the house and maybe call Hopper to pick him up.

Billy got a little bored and decides to take a walk. He left Steve a note that he went outside and he'll call Hopper on a pay phone.

Billy walked for an hour, smoking at least two cigarettes. When he was in the main part of town, he decides to stop at store and buy something with some money that Hopper gave him.

In the store, he gets a bag of chips and soda. He was about to get on line to the register, but he decides to go back to one of the aisles to get some candy.

As he was looking at some different options, he sees someone. It was a man with a newsboy cap, navy blue coat and some shades. Billy stares at his face for a moment. 

He steps a little closer and gets a better look. It was Sam Owens. Billy decides to forget his stuff and head out the store.

 

When Owens paid for his items, he heads out the store to get to his car. But before he could get close enough to it, someone grabs him from behind and slams him into the wall.

The middle age man starts to panic, thinking he's being robbed. "Look take my wallet or anything, just don't hurt me." 

"I don't want your money asshole." Owens looks at his captor properly. "Billy?"

"Yeah Billy or as you might remember me, fourteen." 

"I know that you're probably still upset. But You won't ever hear or see me again. Now if you just let me go to my-Ah!" Billy slams him into the wall again and growls.

"You're not going anywhere, not until you help me with something." 

"I can't help you kill anyone, like you did with your father."  Billy gives a bitter laugh. "I didn't get to kill the bastard unfortunately and I don't need help with that. You morons took something and I want it back.”

"What?"

"Let's not talk here anymore, let's go to your place." Billy says with a sinister grin. 

~~~~~~~~

They arrive at Owen's house in a hour, Owens unlocks the door and Billy barges right in. 

Billy looks around the house, "nice place you got here Owens." Billy then heads to the kitchen and starts digging around. 

He opens the pantry and finds a bottle of wine, Hey goes back in the living room where Owens is and sits on an arm chair, making himself right at home. 

"How much did this bottle cost you?" 

"At least two hundred and fifty dollars." 

"Hm..expensive." Billy opens the bottle and takes a swing. Owens sighs and takes a seat on the sofa. "What do you want Billy? I don't have anything that could be yours."

"Yes you do. Remember how you guys took my clothes?"

"I told you we burned them."

"I know, but you took something that wasn't exactly clothing." Owens was a bit confused by this. 

"What are you talking-"

"My necklace! My fucking necklace, you idiot!" Owens now had a look of realization on his face. "Oh. Uh.."

"If you fucking burned that too, I’ll burn this whole place to the ground or freeze it until it's a chuck of ice."

"Wait freeze?"

"Got a new power, asshole and I will use it on you, unless you get my necklace." To demonstrate, Billy makes the bottle of wine get cold, so cold that bottle starts to fog a little. Billy takes another swig and laughs. Owens cold see Billy's breath just from drinking the cold liquid. 

"Now where is it?" Billy gets up and starts backing the man up against the wall. "I-Its in my office. I didn't throw it away, because there was some value to it."

"Yeah I know that. Part of it is made out of real silver. Now get it. Now."

"But I have to leave town-“ Billy grabs his throat and squeezes. Owens felt his neck getting really cold. "Get it. Now." His glare was as cold as his touch. 

"Then after you get it, then you get the fuck out of this town. I don't wanna see you here ever and if I do, you'll regret it."

Owens nods and Billy lets go of his throat. “Now let's go."

"You're coming?" Billy nods and takes one more swing of the wine. "Yeah, wanna make sure you get it."

Billy then dumps the rest of the wine on the carpet floor. "Stuff too bitter." But he only did that out of spite.

~~~~~~~~~

At the lab, Billy and Owens was in his office and Owens was searching through one of his drawers. 

It took some time, but Owens did find it. Before he could give it to Billy, the boy immediately snatches it out of his hand and puts it around his neck. 

"Okay I got what you wanted, now let me get out of here." Billy considers it for a moment before nodding. 

"Yeah, But first.." Billy punches Owens in the face. Owens stumbles back and grabs on to his nose. 

"What the hell!" 

Billy grabs his collar and pulls him close. "That's for experimenting on little girls."

"Little girls-that wasn't even me at the time.”

"I don't care, if I ever hear about this place experimenting on kids again, I'll destroy this shit hole and hunt you down." 

"Right, that won't happen, trust me." Billy pushes him away. "Good. Now get me the fuck of here."

After they're out of the lab, Owens drives Billy to the forest. Billy gets out his car and walks his way to Hop's cabin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be longer


End file.
